Investigation into the existence of an alleged criminal
organisation begins

Pro-Secular Rallies Held
in Turkey
in Defense of Secular Republic

Events in the Republic of Turkey have attracted recent media
attention as potential candidates emerge for the presidential and general
elections. The nation has been a secular democratic republic since its
establishment in 1923 under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk following
the collapse of the Ottoman empire. Today, a large segment of the Turkish
population is expressing their pro-secular position as they confront threats to
the secular system. A pro-secularism rally held in Ankara on April 14 drew a
crowd of over half a million. An April 29 rally in Istanbul attracted a record-breaking
a crowd of over one million, while further demonstrations against anti-secular
activities are being planned throughout the country.

Millions of Marchers in Turkey

April 29, 2007 - Pro-secular demonstrations supported by nearly 600 non-governmental
organizations were held in the Turkish capital Ankara, and in Turkey's largest
city Istanbul, to show support for the country's secular system.

Carrying Turkish flags, the demonstrators shouted slogans to protect the
country's secular foundations and the principles of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the
founder of modern Turkey.

The April 29 rally in Istanbul, similar to the April 14 mass demonstration in
Ankara, came amid mounting tension between the Islamic-rooted ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP) and the country's secularists.

Presidential Elections

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, presidential candidate of the ruling
Justice and Development Party (AKP), failed to garner the required two-thirds
majority of 367 votes in the first round of parliamentary voting on May 27.

The main opposition secularists Republican People's Party (CHP), which boycotted
the vote, appealed to the country's Constitutional Court to annul the
presidential vote since the parliament convened with less than 367 lawmakers to
elect the new president.

The court upheld the opposition CHP's appeal, a scheduled general election in
November, will be called within 90 days.

The deadly attacks on Turkish soldiers have triggered public outrage and mass public rallies in different cities of
Turkey. University
students all over the country participated in protests, chanting slogans and
carrying banners against the PKK terror organization.

For over a decade, Turkish troops have made small-scale "hot pursuit"
raids into Iraq.Turkey's army staged over two dozen large-scale
incursions into northern Iraq between the late 1980s and 1997. Turkey
launched major incursions into northern Iraq in 1995 with 35,000 troops, and the 1997
operation involved tens of thousands of soldiers and government-paid village
guards.

A major offensive is now being considered by Turkey to combat the PKK
terror organization in northern Iraq. As a result of the deteriorating security situation
in Iraq, and the inability of U.S. and Iraqi forces to counter PKK terrorism,
Ankara is backing a cross-border military operation. Over the last 10 days, more than two dozen soldiers and civilians died in
attacks by PKK terrorists in the southeast.

The PKK, which has been officially recognized as a terrorist
organization by Washington, the European Union, and NATO, has fought Turkish forces
since 1984. It is also responsible for killing civilians, targeting tourists,
and conducting operations in European Union countries. PKK rebels carry out attacks on Turkish soil and then cross the border to sanctuaries in northern Iraq. For many years Turkey has sought
U.S. and Iraqi assistance to prevent these acts of terror. Turkey has
repeatedly accused Iraqi Kurds of tolerating the situation, and has been
disturbed by the lack of U.S. action to stop PKK activitıes in northern
Iraq. Under these circumstances
Ankara has declared that Turkey will exercise the right of self-defense, and the right to take
action against terrorism and terrorist activities.

Earlier this year, General Yasar Buyukanit, Commander of
the Turkish Armed Forces, stated that a Turkish military operation "must be
made" to hit PKK bases in northern Iraq. As Turks vowed to fight
terror, protests were held across the country to condemn a suicide bomb attack in the capital, which
killed nine people and injured more than 100.

Turkey for many years has warned allies, countries in the region, and the
international community of the dangers of the freely operating PKK training
camps in northern Iraq (which according to recent reports are now receiving
weapons intended for U.S. forces in Iraq). Ankara continues to call for
effective action in accordance with international and multinational agreements.
While Turkey once again plans a major offensive against the PKK, it is calling
upon the international community to focus on the PKK's geopolitical and economic
destabilization of the region,
and the new security risks posed by the PKK, if the outlawed organization's bases and
global networks are not disrupted.